Article by
Barbados Today

Published on
November 1, 2018

The awards were held over the weekend at Accra Beach Hotel, Hastings, Christ Church where local filmmakers sat eagerly waiting to see if they would receive one of the coveted awards.

President of the BVMA Damien Pinder said the organization had begun a Young Afrocentric Innovators programme in conjunction with the Bureau of Pan African Affairs at the Christ Church Foundation Secondary School, Grantley Adams Memorial Secondary School, Daryl Jordan Secondary School and St Paul’s Primary.

The creation of this programme led to the students at St Paul’s Primary School being awarded the People’s Choice award for their short film entitled General Boussa.

Pinder said the organization believes that even though they lack finances, they can give of their time to develop the film industry in Barbados.

“The investment in our part is building a generation of filmmakers, actors, and editors who work hand in hand to produce their own stories. A generation who can express themselves through art instead of throwing tantrums and returning to violence,” he said.

He was joined in support by Director of Barbados Cultural Industries Development Authority Andrea King who said that the legal framework is being implemented and that all filmmakers should attend the meeting scheduled to be held in November to discuss the draft bill.

“On the 12th of November the Ministry of Creative Economy will [meet with] filmmakers to discuss the draft policy for filmmakers in film and visual media commission and I am speaking slowly and deliberately so you can hear what I am saying. I encourage you to read it even if you are not in the film industry because it is these policies that result in the action that we experience or endure in Barbados,” King said.

Kai Redman was the recipient of the majority of the awards winning Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing for a Short Film,Best Cinematography, Best Original Story, Best Director and Best Short Film.

Also in the winner’s circle was Brandon Blackman who won Best Actor for his lead role in the film In Dreams and Keshia Pope won Best Actress in a lead role for her portrayal of Rachel in the film Tek Dat. Stockton Miller won the Award of Excellence for his outstanding work in the film industry. (LG)